Logan's Roadhouse
by StormLover
Summary: Logan left the team to fulfill a lifelong dream. Ororo, determined to share her feelings for him, sets out on a roadtrip, to tell him. ROLO Complete. Please R & R.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

The day was January 4, 2016 and it marked the first day of the term of the first mutant president. Formerly known as Professor X, President Charles Xavier, as his first official duty in office signed into law the Mutant Civil Rights Law and extended the Hate Crime legislation to include malicious crimes against mutants.

Though that day saw a new beginning for the lives of mutants, it was the beginning of a slow death for the legendary team of mutants who fought for the rights of both humans and mutants. With Professor X living in the White House, the activities of the Xavier School for the Gifted continued as normal. But every subsequent semester, the number of students decreased as parents felt that since their children could attend and be accepted at a school closer to home, they kept their children home.

After a while, only the members of the original team were left but even some of them had moved on and became secondary members. Colossus decided to head back home to Russia to be closer to family. Kurt Waggner better known as Nightcrawler decided that he wanted to build a life with his new wife, Kitty Pride, away from the mansion. Dazzler, determined to be a movie star, struck out to California to build her career along with her boyfriend Bobby Drake, aka Iceman. Jubilee, intent on learning more about her cultural heritage, set out on a tour of China, sending post cards almost weekly from a new locale.

Though they decided to remain at the mansion, Rogue and Gambit decided that this was the best time to make most of their free time and to see the world under very different circumstances. Instead of visiting foreign locals to fight, they were able to travel and act as tourists and the newlyweds they were.

Hank McCoy, feeling compelled to seek out an opportunity to continue part of his life's work, went back to educating minds that thirst for knowledge. Within a few months, he was appointed to a directorship of the Department of Mutant Studies at Harvard University where human and mutant scientists alike worked together to unravel the mysteries of the X gene.

Jean, Scott, Logan, and Ororo decided to stay at the mansion. Logan and Ororo continued the routine they had established over the last few years. Beginning their day with an early morning stroll of the grounds, followed by a session of Tai Chi, and an one-on-one sparing session or a Danger Room exercise. It was during one of their strolls that Logan asked Ororo a question.

"'Ro, now that the team is pretty much done, is there something ya wanted to do but didn't have the chance too?" Logan asked as they walked among the dew laden trees, making their way to their favorite place by the lake.

"Logan, to be honest, I haven't given it much thought. I know there are some things I would like to do but right now, I'm just enjoying the peace and quiet. What about you?" she asked, joining him on the log and gazing out over the lake.

"You know how I love to cook and come up with new dishes, right?" he asked, glancing at her and turning his eyes back out at the lake.

"Mm hmm," she said, eyes closed, enjoying the warmth of the sun. As he spoke, she could see the many meals that Logan had created for the team over the years and how surprised they were that he could 'burn' as well as he did.

"Well, I always did want to have a restaurant and bar for truckers and bikers where I could serve whatever I want," he replied. When he looked over at her, he saw the quizzical look on her face.

"After all these years, it never occurred to me that you would want to have a restaurant," she replied.

"Yeah well, it ain't something I would normally talk about. Ya seem to have this gift to get me to talk about anything," he replied.

"That's just my Goddess charm," she said, making him chuckle.

"I guess so. Think I should do it?" he asked.

"Absolutely! You've got time now and," she paused, making sure she had his attention, "You may want to get started before you get too old."

He laughed out loud, causing the birds to stir in the canopies above them.

"Alright then, it's a plan. When the opportunity presents itself, I'm gonna go for it."

Ororo knew it would only be a matter of time before her friend left. She didn't realize that the time would come so quickly.

As they made their way back to the mansion for Tai Chi, she decided that she would reveal to him her true feelings the following day. She had kept them to herself for multiple reasons. The day she realized her feelings for him, started out as any other but when she got near him, she had all of the telltale symptoms, nervousness, butterflies in the stomach, and the inability to speak to him Shocked at her response, she quickly retreated to her room to rationalize what had happened. Don't get her wrong, there was nothing wrong with Logan but she always imagined herself with a tall, dark, handsome guy from her homeland. But she knew from experience that love was blind.

That faithful day was two years in the past and she had decided then that as long as she was the co-captain of the X-Men, she would not pursue a relationship with one of her teammates. She wanted to spare herself the public humiliation that came along with an "office romance". Her feelings were confirmed with the drama that surround Logan's affections for Jean and the mess that happened among Dazzler, Jubilee, and Bobby.

With her mission to reveal her feelings in the forefront of her mind, that following morning, she waited for Logan at their spot so they could begin their daily walk. But much to her dismay, he wasn't there and after waiting for thirty minutes, she headed to the lake house. Climbing the steps, she saw an envelope with her name taped to the door. Grabbing it, she tore it open and her heart sank as she read the message.

_Dear 'Ro,_

_Sorry to leave ya like this but an opportunity presented itself for me to pursue my dream…will be in touch soon. _

_Logan_

_Well, doesn't that just beat everything_, Ororo thought as she reread the letter again before putting it in her jeans pocket. _When I'm ready to tell him how I feel, he pulls one of his disappearing acts. _

That was three months ago.

Ororo had continued her daily routine of walking the grounds to the lake, going through her Tai Chi moves and completing Danger Room exercises. There were days when Gambit would join her but for the most part, Ororo was on her own. She had continued the routine with the hopes that her friend would return for a visit or something but she hadn't heard from him since that day by the lake.

One day, Ororo woke up and started her morning routine. On her daily stroll, she couldn't enjoy it as she had yesterday. Her mind was preoccupied with the loss of her friend. As soon as his face appeared in her mind's eye, she remembered something. Determine to see if her instincts were correct, she entered Logan's house, using the spare key from the hide a key location in the yard. Stepping through the door, she reached for the light switch on the wall, illuminating the room. On a mission, Ororo made her way to Logan's bedroom and looked on his nightstand.

_Missing like I thought_, she whispered into the empty room, before turning and retracing her steps back out the door, pausing to turn off the lights. _I have something for him this time_, she thought as she took to the air, headed back to the mansion.

Landing at the back door, Ororo went in and headed to the subbasement. Reaching the War Room, Ororo figured that Logan, in his haste to leave, did not remove the GPS chip in his watch. Flipping to his signal, she smiled as she read the coordinates.

Happy that her hunch was correct and hoping against all hope that he still had his watch, Ororo turned away from the monitors and headed up to the main level in search of Scott, to tell him that she was on her way to Canada.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

In her room, Ororo took her medium bag from the closet. Since she wasn't sure how long she would be there, she figured if she needed more, she could buy it. A thrifty saver, Ororo had amassed a small fortune over the years from her salary as an X-Man. Satisfied that she had all she needed, Ororo took a moment to look over her room.

"I will return one day," she said to the room and turned and headed out the door.

Heading down the stairs to the foyer, Ororo smiled at Jean and Scott as they stood at the bottom.

"You're here to see me off?" she asked her friends when she reached the bottom step.

"I can't believe you're leaving," Jean said, a hitch in her voice betraying her emotion.

"I will only be gone a short time," Ororo replied, embracing her friend, comforting her, "And don't worry, I have my communicator and SAT phone, so you can reach me whenever you need too." Pulling away from her and holding her at arm's length, Ororo smiled at her friend who sadly returned it. Chuckling, Ororo gave her friend another quick hug and told her, "Oh, you will be fine. Don't worry. I'm sure you and Scott will find something to do that will take your mind off my leaving." Winking at Scott over Jean's shoulder, she was rewarded with a quick blush, letting her know that he did have some plans.

Breaking the embrace, Ororo turned to Scott and gave him a quick hug. The couple walked with Ororo to the garage and watched as she loaded her bag in the truck of one of the mini four-wheel drive X-Jeeps. Outfitted with the latest technological advances that her friend Hank McCoy and their on-again-off again teammate Forge could dream up, Ororo knew she would be okay in the event that something jumped off, as the kids say.

Waving goodbye, Ororo hoped in the SUV. After pulling up the information on Logan's GPS, she plugged in her iPod, the sounds of Linkin Park's song "In the End" filling the car. _Logan's favorite song_, she thought, feeling like that was a sign from above that she was doing what she was suppose to do. Smiling, she put the car in drive and left the garage, heading down the winding path of the mansion's driveway.

Ororo rode at a steady pace. When she hit the 490, the song, _Seasons of Love_ from the Rent Soundtrack, started playing. Turning on cruise control, Ororo remembered her and Logan heading to New York City and seeing the play on Broadway. The special showing featured the cast from the movie and Ororo was excited to see Tracie Thoms on stage. A big fan of great singing, Ororo thought Thoms had a great singing voice and didn't want to miss the special engagement. So on a whim, she bought two tickets. She knew that she and Logan would have the day of the play off so she figured she would ask him to accompany her. She knew that New York was not one of his favorite cities but she hoped that he would tolerate it for a few hours for her. Boy, was she wrong.

Changing lanes and slowing a bit, Ororo remembered the events leading up the trip to NYC.

_"Aw hell nah, 'Ro," Logan said as they sat on the mat after a grueling training session in the subbasement exercise room._

_"New York isn't that bad."_

_"Considerin' ya wasn't blessed with the keen sense of smell and acute hearing abilities, I won't expect ya to understand that NY is a loud, nasty city and I avoid it when I can," he replied before gulping down the rest of his water._

_"Okay, I can understand that. But remember how you told me that I needed to get out of the mansion when I had time off?" Ororo asked, grabbing his outstretched hand and getting to her feet. She fell in step with him as they made their way to the elevators._

_"Yeah. And?" he asked, allowing her to get on the elevator before him._

_"Well, there's a Broadway play that I would like to see in NY on in two weeks and I thought since both of us were off, you could come with and we could have night on the town in the Big Apple," she told him, stepping out of the elevator on the main floor._

_"Glad you decided to get out of the mansion but I'm not the person to go with ya 'Ro. Me and the Big Apple ain't on good terms. I hope ya find someone to use the otha ticket," he told her before heading toward the kitchen, leaving her beside the elevator._

_Had he looked back, he would have seen the sad, yet determined look on her face. Sighing, Ororo turned and walked in the opposite direction, heading up the stairs to her room. Slightly disappointed but not discouraged, Ororo was determined that she and Logan would have this time out together. With two weeks before the play, she just had to figure out how. _

_The answer to her dilemma came the very next day as she led the team in a Danger Room session. Ororo AKA Storm took to the skies as she led the team through the stimulated mountainous range. Providing air support, Storm stayed in constant contact with her team, signaling them to upcoming dangers. _

_Watching from his post in the command center, Professor Charles Xavier, better known as Prof. X, thought it was time to up the ante. He keyed in a command that would place a clone on one of the upper ridges. Turning a corner, Storm came face to face with the clone and before she could shot a lightning bolt, she was hit. The rules of the session were that if you were hit (with a paint gun), you would stop using your powers. Also, when you were hit, the team would be signaled, so that if you are in a compromising position, like Storm was, one of your teammates would come to your rescue. _

_Thoughts raced through her mind as she fell to the ground. As she braced for impact, Storm heard an unmistakably growl. She opened her eyes to see Wolverine coming toward her, arms outstretched as he leaped in the air. Catching her, he braced for the return to the ground, absorbing the impact. _

_"You okay?" he asked. She nodded and he gently lowered her to her feet._

_Seeing the team in trouble, Storm urged Wolverine to assist the team since she was 'out'. He nodded and took off. The team finished the session with flying colors, despite being down their leader. She was proud of her team and told them so as they left the Danger Room, headed to the shower. _

_"Thanks for saving me back there, Logan," Ororo told him as he approached the door._

_"No prob 'Ro. Ya know I got ya back," he replied, holding the door for her to follow. Falling in step, they walked in silence to the elevators. _

_"So when is that play happening you told me about?" he asked as they waited for the elevator._

_"Two weeks from tomorrow. Why? You __reconsidering your decision to join me_?"

_"Maybe," he replied, a slight smile creasing his face. _

_The 'maybe' finally turned into a yes but not without some __conditions_. Ororo had to take over his early morning training sessions for a month and a session of training the younger team members how to pilot the air jet.

_The day of the play came and Logan, true to his word, accompanied Ororo, wearing a black suit complete with a grey shirt and no tie. His outfit complimented her black cocktail dress and strappy heels very nicely._

_They had a fabulous time. Though it went against the agreement, Logan took care of dinner at the restaurant. He did not complain about the noise and the smells and focused on their conversation while navigating them through the Saturday night crowd. Logan gently guided her with his hand on her lower back and cradled her protectively when they waited for the lights to change as they walked the few blocks to Broadway. Logan proved himself a complete gentleman, even ending the night with a kiss at her door. Sleep overtook Ororo slowly as she lay in her bed, mentally replaying the entire evening, concluding with the simple kiss they shared. A kiss that was totally unexpected, but welcomed. As they parted, Logan wished sweet dreams and was gone. Sighing sleepily, she had snuggled down in her bed, dreaming about her night on the town, thinking she would have agreed to two months of early training and two piloting sessions with the kids in exchange for the night. Later, she was relieved that she hadn't agreed on She didn't know that the feeling would be short lived. _

_The fun of the evening was later overshadowed by the harrowing ordeal of the X-Jet training session with the kids. They arrived back at the mansion with Ororo at the controls. Logan and Scott, noticing the stormy weather, figured something had gone wrong and headed to the hangar. They were waiting there when the X-Jet landed. The doors opened immediately after the plane touched down and the young team members scrambled over each other to exit the plane. _

_"Bobby, what happened?" Scott called to him as he rushed by. _

_Without slowing, Bobby replied, "Storm didn't think our recreation of a nose dive and tail spin was funny."_

_Taking a moment to compose herself and the weather outside, Storm stood and was greeted by a chuckling Logan, who had boarded the plane with Scott in tow._

_"Never again," she replied simply before getting up and leaving Logan and Scott sharing a laugh, knowing exactly what she meant._


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

Smiling at the memory, Ororo slowed as she prepared to get off at the Niagara Falls exit. Since her final destination was only an hour away, she decided she visit the natural wonder which would also double as a rest stop in preparation for the next leg of her trip.

Getting out of her car, her desire to see the falls outweighed her need to eat. Ororo followed the path that took her to the one of the many vantage points to watch the water as it thundered over the ledge. The roar of the water was like a welcomed lullaby, bringing to mind memories from her trip to Zambia to visit to infamous Victoria Falls. Closing her eyes, she conjured the memory of that visit and allowed the feelings she felt then to wash over her.

"Reminds you of home, doesn't it?" a familiar voice asked.

_It can't be_, Ororo thought before opening her eyes turning toward the source. Ororo could not believe her eyes as they fell on T'Challa.

At the sight of him, memories of their time together in the homeland flooded her mind and it took her a moment to speak. T'Challa was better known to most people as the Black Panther. He is also the King of Wakanda. But to her, he was her first in many things. He was also the first man to break her heart.

"T'Challa," Ororo said simply, unable to say anything else.

"I know. I am just as surprised as you are that we are both here. How have you been?" he asked, his eyes drinking in the sight of her.

"I am well. I apologize for my hesitation but as you said, this is very surprising," she replied, recovering from her shock, "How are you? Your mother?"

"We are all fine. Mother still asks about you."

"Really? I thought she did not like me," Ororo replied as T'Challa closed the distance between them and stood next to her, gazing out at the falls.

"She did not dislike you, she was just wary of you and your intentions toward me," he replied, a smile spreading across his face.

"We are remembering two different women then," Ororo replied, shaking her head at the memory of her encounters with T'Challa's mother, "I'm sure she is very proud of you now that you have taken your place as King of Wakanda."

"This is true but I think she would be prouder if I was a father," he replied, looking over at her, "But is a conversation for later. I was just going to have lunch. Would you like to join me?"

Ororo weighed her options. On one hand, she had not seen him in 10 years and she was interested in catching up with her friend. On the other hand, his last comment made her wonder if their meeting was a coincidence. Since its better to get information directly from the source than to wonder, she decided she would take him up on his invitation.

"It would be my pleasure," she replied, and returned the smile that lit up his face when he heard her reply.

"Wonderful. My assistants reserved a private room at the Top of the Falls restaurant. I was told that this was the place to dine if you wanted a great meal with an excellent view of the Falls. Shall we?" he asked, holding out his arm.

Smiling, she took his arm and allowed him to lead her to the restaurant. They walked for a few minutes in silence, each deep in thought. Ororo's thoughts were consumed by the memories of the time they spent together before she left Africa.

"Penny for your thoughts?" he asked, using a phrase from their past.

"My thoughts cost a bit more than a penny now," she replied, making him laugh as he held the door open for her to enter.

"I will keep that in mind," he said as they walked to the private room.

"So what are your plans now that the X-Men has disbanded?" he asked her as he pulled out her chair for her.

"What gives you the impression that the X-Men has disbanded?" she asked, placing her napkin in her lap.

"Since Xavier is now the President of the United States, I would say that the work of the X-Men is now complete, wouldn't you?"

Ororo smiled a small smile at her companion. She took in his innocent look, knowing that the look had little to do with innocence. He was as good as she was at masking his emotions. She knew he was trying to ask what her plans were without asking the question directly. Since she was use to his indirect manner of gathering information, she decided she would indulge him to gain more insight as well.

"No, I would not. Just because Xavier is in the White House, does not mean that mutants have less to worry about now than they had before he was elected president," Ororo told him as she buttered a roll, "Did people of color in this country suddenly become equals to the majority immediately when Barack Obama was elected President?"

A small smile spread across his face. He remembered how passionate and persuasive she could be when discussing matters closest to her heart. He missed their debates. Since becoming King, no one has been willing to debate with him.

"No, I guess not," he replied still smiling.

"Why are you smiling?"

"Because at this very moment, I realize how much I missed you, my friend. No one could argue a point like you. Those were some good times."

"You thought they were good times but what I remember is us having these debates that would become so heated that one of us would storm off, leaving the other to have to find them. I grew very tired of having to chase after you," she replied, causing him to laugh out loud, drawing attention of his security team.

Waving them down, he gazed at the beautiful woman across from him. He always thought she would be the one who would rule his kingdom with him. Ororo was someone who was comfortable in any situation. In their previous life together, they had traveled across the Continent, visiting many of the natural treasures and learning more about the history of their people. One day they would be on a Safari. On another day, they would find themselves sitting at the table with tribal chiefs and elders. Another day, they would be fighting side by side, to right the wrongs against a people in a foreign land. Like him, she could rise to each occasion and perform the duties as needed, totally committed to getting the task completed.

Though his running into her has been orchestrated with the help of her friends in Westchester, he had not anticipated his emotional response to seeing her. Feelings that he thought had diminished, returned as strong as they once were. He had to constantly remind himself of his purpose in reconnecting with the woman who once held his heart.

"That may have been true then but much time has passed. The T'Challa I am today is very different of the T'Challa of the past," he told her.

Ororo picked up on the double meaning of his words as their salad bowls were taken away. Her thoughts went to the fateful day so many years ago.

_Her relationship with T'Challa was a first for both of them. They had met when his father brought him along with him to visit her village. Due to lineage as an African priestesses, her presence was required at the meeting between T'Challa, his father and the elders of her village. Though she acted uninterested in meeting him, she remembered thinking how handsome he was. When he greeted her, he charmed her with his kind words and gentle hand kiss. She guessed the elders saw something in their greeting because she was told that she would be T'Challa's guide for the duration of their stay at her village. _

_Not too keen on playing hostess, Ororo tried in vain to elude him on their trips into the bush but to her amazement, his agility and speed nearly matched her own, as she had begun to grow into her mutant abilities. Their courtship found both of them traveling between her village and his country, spending as much time as they could together. After three years, the elders in both locales thought that their union was a sure thing as did Ororo but one event would change everything. _

_Ororo had gotten permission to travel to Wakanda to spend some time with T'Challa. When she arrived at the palace, she learned that T'Challa's father had been murdered. Immediately concerned for her friend, Ororo looked for him, but not finding him, she went the place where he would go whenever something troubled him._

_Ororo found him just as she thought, sitting in a great Baobab, looking out over the dry, grassy plains._

_She flew up and took a seat next to him. She looked over at him and took in his profile. She could tell he was struggling with his emotions. Unsure of what to do, she took his hand._

_ "I heard about your father. I am sorry for your loss," she said. _

_He pulled his hand from hers, shunning her gesture. _

_"T'Challa…" she began but he cut her off._

_"Now that my father is gone, I have to prepare to become the ruler of Wakanda," he said softly, his eyes never leaving the grassy plains, "Because of this, I think it is best that we do not see each other after today as I will need to completely focus on my preparations to be the future king of Wakanda." _

_"T'Challa, what are you saying?" Ororo asked, her voice slightly trembling._

_"I am saying that I cannot do what is needed spending all my time with you."_

_"So what about us? What about the love we share? Does that not mean anything to you?" Ororo asked, shocked at what she was hearing._

_"At this moment, no, it does not. All that matters is avenging my father's death and preparing to take the throne," he told her, his voice strong and sure. _

_Ororo could not believe his response. All of the time they spent together, dreaming together, hoping together, and planning for the future together had been in vain. _

_"T'Challa, if you would only," she began._

_"I have said all that needed be said. If you will excuse me, I would really like to be alone now," he said, cutting her off. _

_Ororo looked at the person who she loved more than anyone else in the world. With a heavy heart and tears in her eyes, she honored his request and took to the skies, never looking back. _


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR**

"Did I say something wrong?" he asked after a few minutes, pulling her from her thoughts.

"No," she replied, looking up into his eyes after their plates were removed from the table, "I was just thinking of the last time we saw each other."

"Hmm. Not one of our best moments," he replied, wiping his mouth and placing his napkin back in his lap. Realizing the time had come to have the discussion that prompted him to take the trip to see her, he held his hand up to delay their delivery of dessert. T'Challa called his assistant over and spoke softly in his ear. Minutes later, the room was cleared, leaving him alone with Ororo.

Turning his attention back to her, he took her hands in his. "I know there are no words that can express the sorrow I feel at how things were left between us. I was young, trying to deal with one of the worse moments in my life and I took it out on the one person who I knew would be in my corner. I suffered thoroughly for what I did to you and I have not gotten over how I treated you.

"I have considered what I would say to you after all this time to express my regrets at my actions toward you. Saying I am sorry does not seem to suffice."

"But it does," Ororo replied, gently squeezing his hands.

"Excuse me," he said, not believing he heard her correctly.

"You saying I'm sorry does suffice," she told him, "That's all I ever wanted to hear."

"So you forgive me?" he asked, not believing how well the conversation was going.

"T'Challa, I forgave you a long time ago. I had too because I needed to move forward with my life. I could not allow the hurt and pain from our breakup to prevent me from loving again."

"So you are in love?" he asked.

"I am," she told him, breaking their eye contact and looking out the windows at the falls. She returned her gaze to him. "But he does not know it."

A smile played at the corner of her lips but did not completely spread across her face. He took in the look on her face and felt sad that he may have been the reason behind her reluctance to share her feelings with the guy.

"Did you keep your feelings a secret because of me?" T'Challa asked, loosening his hold on her hands.

Looking at him, Ororo could see the sadness in his eyes. Sensing that he felt responsible, she knew she had to explain. "No, our past was not the only reason why I kept my feelings from him. It may have played a small part but there were many others," she told him, standing and pulling on his hand to encourage him to do the same.

Walking over to the windows, she allowed their conversation to fall silent for a few moments so that both of them could recover from their confessions. Sighing gently, still holding his hand, she turned to him.

"So. Enough about me," she said, shaking his hand playfully, "I get the impression that our meeting today was not a coincidence. Am I right?"

Releasing his own sigh, T'Challa turned to face her.

"You are. There is something I need to tell you that could only be done in person," he said.

"Alright," she replied.

"It took me a while to build up the courage to speak to you. I felt that I did not have the right to come to you after what I did but I have missed what we had, especially our friendship. I hope that we can still be friends after what happened between us."

"Of course, T'Challa. You are still my friend," Ororo replied.

"I was hoping you would say that. The other reason I came to the states was to speak with you about this," he told her, handing her an envelope.

Looking at him with questioning eyes, he nodded to the envelope, encouraging her to open it. Opening it and she read the card.

"I would be honored to attend your wedding," she replied glancing up at him before turning her eyes back to the invitation to reread the message.

"Congratulations, your highness," she said before hugging him. He returned the hug, enjoying it more than he should have.

"This is great news. I take it that you are happily in love with your betrothed?"

"Yes, I am. She is a wonderful and loving woman who will grow to be a great queen and mother of my children one day," he told her, "Though I had hoped that the woman to be all those things would be you."

"Many years ago, that was my hope as well but things changed. Though it may seem your actions that day was the sole reason why our paths traveled in two different directions, I believe that things happened the way they were suppose to. During our time apart, we changed as did the person who occupied that special place in our hearts," she replied, taking his hands in hers as she had so many times in the past whenever they shared matters of their hearts, "I am sure we will continue to love each other as friends, but it seems that our hearts has chosen others. I know you have chosen well for yourself and it is my prayer that you and your betrothed will have a long marriage, filled with love, happiness and many children."

He smiled at her last statement. "I had heard that you may have had a thing for your teammate Logan. Is he the one you are in love with?" he asked, a sly smile on his lips.

"Yes. That's the reason for my trip. He left the mansion before I had the chance to tell him. So, I'm on my way to tell him," she replied, looking down at her watch. Three hours had passed.

"My apologies. I have taken up too much of your time."

Ororo smiled up into his handsome face. "No, we took the time that was needed to do something that we should have done a long time ago. I am glad we spent time together today," she replied, looking up at him. Gazing into his eyes, Ororo leaned up and kissed him. When he returned her kiss, she deepened the kiss, prolonging the connection.

Pulling away, he wiped the tears from her eyes and gathered her in his arms for a farewell hug. They both knew that the kiss was not one of desire but one of closure.

"You will always be my first queen," he whispered to her.

She squeezed him gently in response, not trusting her voice at the moment. They held each other for a few moments. Though it broke his heart to do so, he released her from the embrace. Looking up at him with a sad smile, she squeezed his hand before turning away.

Ororo went over to get her purse. Turning back to him, she held up the invitation. "I will see you in four weeks."

He smiled and nodded. "I hope that you will make sure to bring your plus one."

With a nod, she walked to the door and stepped out. Had she had looked behind her she would have seen the tear course down T'Challa's face. Aware of the approach of his staff, he wiped his face quickly and awaited their arrival.

Leaving the building, surround by his security team and staff, T'Challa could not help feeling sadden by his friend's departure. Though his heart had found another, he felt that no one could take the place of Ororo, the love of his life.


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE**

Back on the road again, the tears continued to fall. Ororo stopped at a light and pulled a napkin from the glove compartment. Quickly wiping her eyes, she decided to let the moment with T'Challa fade into her memories. Taking a deep breath, she held it for a moment and released it slowly.

Ready to continue on her "mission", Ororo looked at the GPS. She noticed that Logan had changed locations since she had reentered the Jeep. Seeing that the light had changed, she pulled over into the parking lot of the nearest gas station. Parking at a pumped, she pulled up an image of his location.

A smile creased her face as she read the name, Logan's Roadhouse. Getting out of the car, she started the pump and began gassing up the jeep. Completing the task, she hopped back in and turned the key. She looked at the GPS and was happy to see that she only had a 45 minute drive to reach her destination. As she pulled out, she hoped Logan would be happy to see her.

Standing out on the deck of his lake house, Logan took the last sip of his coffee. Though he gazed out over the lake as the sun started to rise, his mind was on the lake from his other home. If he was still at the mansion, he and Ro would be sitting on their favorite log bench, an upgrade from the log they once sat on before it succumbed to the elements.

Since his move back to Canada, he often thought of the time he spent with Ro. When he left, he didn't realize how much he would miss it or her. But he did, more than he thought he would. No matter what he was doing, his thoughts would eventually turn to her. On many occasions, he fought the urge to pick up the phone and dial her number, just to hear her voice.

One morning when the ache of missing her was more than he could bear, he sat by the lake at his "new" home and mediated like she taught him. As he sat and settled his breathing, he instinctively knew why she was always on his mind – he had fallen in love. Though he had made up his mind to never do it again, especially after the Jean fiasco, his heart had other plans.

That was two months ago but he still had not made the call. Sighing, and heading back into the kitchen, deep down, he knew why. He was afraid she didn't feel the same way. He chuckled softly at the thought. _Who would have thought that the fearsome, fearless Wolverine would be afraid to talk to a woman_. Shaking his head, he gathered his stuff and headed out the door. _Maybe he would make the call today_, he thought, locking the door and heading to his bike. _Or maybe not_, he thought revving the engine and heading down the driveway.

Thirty minutes later, he pulled through the restaurant's front gate, waving to his man in the booth as he passed. He drove his bike up the driveway and parked in his reserved space.

The sign, Logan's Roadhouse, sat atop of the entrance of the building. Not to be confused with the restaurant chain of the same name, his Roadhouse catered to a select clientele, bikers and truckers. The restaurant served the normal bar food and offered an extensive list of booze from local breweries to the high end stuff. It even had a separate dining area for those who wanted to linger over their meal. What made the place unique was the special menu that changed daily, made up of dishes created by Logan himself. A closet foodie, Logan would, on occasion, cook something for his teammates, leaving them begging for more.

Logan smiled to himself at the memory as he took a seat at the bar and waited for his partners to arrive for their daily catch up meeting. Hearing his name, he looked up to see his buddy and partner, Skip heading his way. A former trucker and Army sharpshooter, Melvin 'Skip' Harper served as the COO of the restaurant, handling the day to day operations. He was followed by their other partner and buddy, Jack, who served as the CFO. Before joining them in the restaurant business, Donald 'Jack' Jackson grew up the son of a diehard Harley fan and before he joined the Army, headed up his own motorcycle club.

With a slight smile, he greeted his buddies and waited as the bartender prepared their morning coffees and followed the guys back to their office for their meeting. An hour later, Logan headed to the kitchen. Though he was the CEO, Logan also served as the head chief.

He met with the kitchen staff daily to discuss the chef special dishes for the evening. Tonight's offerings included a caprese salad inspired burger, a bison patty stuffed with mozzarella cheese, topped with sweet tomatoes marinated in basil and olive oil. He and his sous chef prepared samples for the staff and much to everyone's surprise, even the picky eaters, they all loved it. Logan felt that if asked, the staff would be able to answer any questions they would receive from their customers. Satisfied that the food prep was going well, Logan headed back into the office just in time to hear his name over the intercom.

"Logan. Come in Logan," Steel, their gateman called.

"Yeah, Steel. What's up?" Logan asked, after pressing the button.

"There's a chick out here saying she's an old friend of yours."

"A Chick here? For Logan?" Jack asked, leaning back in his chair, "This I got to see."

"What she look like, Steel?" Logan asked, ignoring his friend.

"Black chick with white hair and blue eyes."

"Let her through and tell her park near the door," Logan said after a slight hesitation. Disconnecting his contact with Steel, he dialed another number. "Loco, escort the lady to the bar and tell Daniels to give her whatever she wants to drink. I'll be there soon."

Hanging up, Logan looked up to see his friends hovering at his desk.

"What?" he asked, looking at the slight smiles on their faces.

"So who's the old friend?" Skip asked, especially curious since she was a sista.

"Yeah, who's the black chick?" Jack asked, his country Texan accent very pronounced.

"She's a friend, like Steel said. Now if you guys don't mind, I have to go meet her," Logan replied, getting to his feet and starting to the door. Sensing them behind him, he told them, "Alone."

"Yeah, man, of course," Jack replied, going back to his desk, "We'll give you a minute and come out in time to open up."

Nodding without turning around, Logan walked down the short hallway, his thoughts racing. _Ro's here_, he thought, truly not expecting to see her here of all places. _I wonder_, he began but his mind went blank when his eyes fell on her sitting at the bar, chatting with Daniels.

As he approached them, he took in her blue and white sun dress, her muscular arms and shoulders on display for the world to see. He noticed that her dress rested on her calves, her feet clad in blue strappy sandals. Logan stopped short of the bar, drinking her in, until Daniels looked over and spotted him. Logan shook his head slightly, letting Daniels know not to let Ororo know he was there.

Taking a deep breath, Logan closed the distance between him and the woman who held his heart.


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER SIX**

"This is quite a surprise," he said, watching as she turned to face him.

"Logan," she said, a smile lighting up her face as she stepped away from the bar and embraced him. He returned the hug, inhaling her scent and sighing softly, happy to see her.

"It's so good to see you, my friend," she whispered, a slight tremble in her voice. Hearing it, Logan pulled away and looked her in her eyes. She smiled at him but he saw tears in her eyes.

"Ro?" he asked, his eyes questioning.

"It's nothing," she replied, completely pulling away from him and taking a napkin to dab at her eyes. Taking a deep breath to compose herself, she turned back to Logan and smiled.

"Now that I've embarrassed myself, how about we sit and catch up. There's much to tell you," she told him.

"Sure. What you drinking? Need a refill?" he asked, looking from her to Daniels.

"No, I'm fine. It's just Coke. Daniels has taken very good care of me," she replied smiling back at the bartender, who returned her smile quickly before turning to his boss.

"You want your usual, Boss?" Daniels asked and got a nod in response. Setting the chilled Crown Royal Special Reserve neat within Logan's reach and replacing Ororo's soda with a fresh one, Daniels moved to a different part of the bar to continue prepping for opening.

"Let's sit over here where it's more comfortable," he said, taking both their drinks from the bar and leading the way to a booth in the corner of the room. The lights were turned down low. Logan pulled a lighter from his pocket, lit the candle in the glass skull.

"I can't believe you're here," he told her, gazing at her and watching as the candlelight dance in her eyes.

"Nor can I. I missed my friend and was a bit worried about him since he upped and left again, leaving me a Dear Ro note," she told him, smiling, taking a sip of her soda.

He smiled. "So you got my note."

"Of course I did. Though I wasn't surprised you left. I just didn't think you leave so quickly after our conversation about pursuing your dream."

"An opportunity presented itself and it was something that we couldn't let get away," he replied, and her raised eyebrow asked the question, "Me and a couple of my buddies from the Army. They're anxious to meet you."

"Really? Why is that?"

"Because he doesn't get many visitors," Skip replied, coming up to the table with Jack in tow, "I'm Skip and he's Jack. And you are?" Skip held out his hand for Ororo to shake, ignoring the evil look Logan was giving them.

"Ororo. Ororo Monroe. Logan and I are old friends," she replied, giving him her hand to shake and then shaking Jack's.

"We had to come out and see our partner's old friend and say hi before we opened for business," Jack told her, releasing her hand slowly.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were opening up. Logan if you need to go," Ororo began and stopped when Skip shook his head.

"No, ma'am. Me and ole Jack can handle it. We just needed to check with Logan to make sure the kitchen staff were ready," Skip said, looking from Ororo to Logan.

"Yeah, man. They ready to go," Logan replied, getting a nod in response from his partner. Saying goodbye, Skip and Jack left to go to their posts, giving the security team the okay to open up.

Getting to his feet, Logan held out his hand for Ororo. "Let's head to the office so we can finish our conversation." She nodded, taking his hand and allowing him to help her to her feet.

She noticed that Logan didn't release her hand as they made their way to the back. She smiled, enjoying the contact. They entered the office and he led her to the sofa. Taking a seat, Ororo looked around and saw that Logan and his friends had divided the room into an office area with their desks and an entertainment area, complete with sofa and a 55in flat screen TV that took up most of the wall it was anchored on.

Taking a seat next to her, he placed his drink on the coffee table. Ororo followed suit with her own. Leaning back, he looked over at her and met her eyes.

"Logan."

"Ro."

Smiling, Logan said, "You go first Ro."

"No. You go," she replied, turning in her seat to face him, pulling one of her legs under her, "Because I'm sure you want to know how I found you."

"Yeah, that was my next question."

"It's the detective in me," she replied, causing him to smile.

_I haven't smiled this much since leaving the mansion_, Logan thought, turning in his seat to face her. "Do tell."

"Well," she said after taking a sip of her soda, "I was upset that you left because there was something I wanted to tell you. So I waited a while because your letter said you would be in touch."

"Um, sorry about that Ro. Things got busy out here and," he began. She held up her hand to stop him.

"Yeah, Yeah, Yeah. Excuses, excuses," she said, causing him to chuckle, "It got to a point where I couldn't take it anymore and had to find you. So I wondered if you had taken the watch Hank modified for you. I checked the boathouse and when I didn't see it, I figured you still had it. So I used the locator and got your coordinates. I left the mansion around 7am, on my way here."

"Wow," Logan said looking at his watch, impressed that she had gone through the trouble to track him down, "Ro, if you left the mansion around 7am, the drive was about 6 hours. It's 4 in the afternoon. Which way did you go?"

"I drove the majority of the way and stopped at Niagara Falls to rest. I ran into an old friend, who I hadn't seen in a while and our reunion took a while. It's a long story. I promise to tell it to you one day," she replied.

"Okay," he said, instantly curious, "So what are your plans for the rest of the day?"

"I'm not sure. My goal was to find you and now that I have, I don't have any," she said.

"Well, you can stay with me until you make up your mind on what you want to do," he said, getting to his feet.

"Are you sure I'm not imposing?" she asked, feeling embarrassed about not planning beyond finding Logan.

"No, you're not imposing. I could use the company. Let's get out of here so we can get you settled," he replied, coming over and grabbing their drinks. Standing, Ororo followed him out of the door. As they entered the main area, she was amazed at how many people had filled the space in the short time they had been in the office.

Everywhere she looked, there were clusters of men and women engaged in conversation. Some wore the colors of their motorcycle club while others were enjoying happy hour. She noticed others sitting in the "dining  
area" in the booths along the wall, engaged in conversation will having their meal. The room had been divided with a rustic room divider to create the sit down dining experience.

She smiled to herself, happy that her friend's dream had come true.

"What you smiling about, Ro?" Logan asked, standing at her side.

"I'll tell you later," she said, taking his hand, "You ready?"

"Yeah, let's go," he replied, gently squeezing her hand and leading her out the door.


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

Ororo's jeep followed Logan's bike as he led her to his place. _This seems familiar_, she thought, as she passed a gas station. Turning off the main road, they turned onto the dirt road that took them into the woods. _It can't be_, she thought at they emerged from the canopy of the trees. But it was. Before her stood the lake house that she had spent a weekend with him many years ago.

At that time she was going through a selfish phase, feeling she needed to do something that was for her where she would only have to worry about her. So she decided she wanted to have a weekend to do what she pleased and had asked Logan to join her. She had discovered she had feelings for him and thought what better way to have a selfish weekend than to spend it with your love interest.

To her delight, he agreed and surprised her by bringing her to his lake house. The weekend got off to a good start but ended with her with a cast on her ankle. Feeling that her injury was his fault, Logan took on the task to help her get back on her feet. He had introduced Ro a modified version of its ancient movements to help her maintain her training regimen. As time passed and her ankle mended, he adapted more of the standing positions that required very little movement.

Six months later, his efforts resulted in the introduction and inclusion of Tai Chi into the Team's training regimen. Also, Ororo and Logan learned that they shared a joy in early rising and long walks which led to their daily morning walks around the property. Though, she didn't get the guy in the end, she was happy that their friendship and bond grew stronger.

_This time will be different_, she thought, smiling at Logan as he opened the car door for her. She waited until he grabbed her bag from the backseat and walked with him to the house.

"Brings back memories, huh?" he asked, holding the door for her.

"Yes. Good and bad ones," she replied going into the living room.

"Well, we're going to have to change that," he said, leading her to the living room, "I'm going to put your bag in the guest room and then rustle us up some grub." He took her bag and placed it in the bedroom next to his.

"Got a taste for something in particular?"

"Not really, but if you need to get back to the Roadhouse, I can manage things from here," she replied, removing her sandals and leaving them in the living room as she made her way to the kitchen, "Just show me where everything is."

"Not a chance," he said, coming up behind her and kissing her quickly on the cheek, "The guys can handle it without me. Besides, what kind of host do you think I am, leaving my guest to fend for herself?"

"Am I still a guest, since I've been here before?" she asked, settling on the stool at the island.

"Technically no, but I like playing host to the beautiful women who come to my house," he said playfully, "And since you are the only one who has seen it, then I have to play my part."

_He cleaned that one up nicely_, she thought, hopping down from the stool and going over to the sink to wash her hands. "Well, in that case, I insist that you allow me to help you with dinner this time," she said.

"Okay," he said casually, placing ingredients on the island, "Since we insisting on stuff, I have one for you."

"And that would be?" she asked, as he handed her a knife and a cutting board.

"You tell me the reason you came all the way out here," he replied, pulling out pans.

_He's getting right to it_, she thought, returning to her stool and preparing the cut the veggies, _Okay here goes_.

"Logan, I," she began and his cell phone rung.

"Sorry, Ro. I need to take this. It's the guys at the Roadhouse," he said, pressing the talk button and walking out of the kitchen.

Sighing, Ororo continued chopping until she heard Logan said _What_ in that tone that she had learned meant something was wrong. Her suspicions were confirmed when Logan reentered the kitchen.

"Sorry Ro, but I have to get back to the Roadhouse. Sabretooth decided to drop in for a visit."

"Oh no. Has he hurt anyone?"

"The guys didn't say but knowing Sabretooth, it won't be long before he starts some shit."

"I'm going with you."

"No, Ro. This isn't your fight."

"Has that ever stopped me before?"

"No, but I don't want you to get hurt," he replied.

"Let's not worry about me," she said, heading toward the door and opening it. Looking back at him, she said, "Let's go make sure Sabretooth doesn't hurt your guys or bring the house down."

When they got back to the Roadhouse, they found Steel in the gatehouse, breathing heavily and cradling his arm. He was covered with blood.

"Boss, we tried to keep him out," Steel said, struggling to get the words out. Ororo got out of the car and rushed over to him.

Turning to Logan, she said, "I'll get him stabilized and call for help. You go and help the others."

Nodding, Logan sped up the driveway and hopped out the car. Just as he was about to climb the steps, the doors burst open and Loco came flying through. Logan dived out the way and went to Loco's side, checking his pulse. Feeling the steady beat, Logan he sighed with relief and carefully pulled him to a safer area.

Making his way back to the building, Logan stepped through the door, just as Sabretooth raised his arms to break down the bar, to get to Skip and Jack.

"Sabretooth," Logan yelled, getting his attention.

"So you finally decided to show up, runt!" Sabretooth growled, turning toward him, "Well, it's about damn time. I was tired of beating up all these fake ass bikers!"

"I'm right here, bub. Come get some," Logan said, taking a fighting stance.

Sabretooth growled and charged toward Logan.

Ororo arrived near the entrance in time to see Sabretooth tackle Logan, hurtling them both toward the jeep. Using her powers, she quickly moved the jeep out of the way. Sitting it away from the combatants, she turned her attention to their fight to the death. Determined not to let Sabretooth cause any more damage, she took to the skies and pulled them along with her, taking them away from the Roadhouse.

Sensing he was off the ground, Sabretooth looked up to see that weather witch had them in the air. Grabbing Logan, he threw him with all his might toward her. _That'll clip her wings_, he thought evilly as he watched Logan collide with her, causing the wind to drop them all.

"Ro," Logan cried out as he hurtled toward her. She looked down but it was nothing he could do to avoid crashing into her. He felt the wind's hold release them and they all began to fall back to the earth. Grabbing her, he reached out and impaled the nearest tree with his claw, slowing their descent. Reaching the ground, Logan ignored the pain and blood on his arm and cradled Ororo's unconscious form.

He looked over and saw that Sabretooth wasn't so lucky. He had fallen back to earth without breaking his fall and had crashed into the forest floor. Breathing heavily, Logan watched his fallen foe for a minute to make sure he was out before turning his attention to Ororo. He noticed that her right arm was swollen and saw a gash on her forehead.

"Ro, I'm sorry," he whispered, kissing her hair gently and cradling her to him, "I'll take care of you and make you better. I promise."


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

Ororo dreamed she and Logan were walking along the lake shore, hand in hand, as he cradled a child in his arms.

"Mommy nook," the little boy said smiling and pointing at a kite floating in the air.

Before she could respond, she found herself falling. Looking up, she watched as she fell past the treetops. She tried to summon her powers but they didn't respond. Screaming silently, the ground grew closer and closer.

Ororo opened her eyes and tried to sit up, but the pain in her head and arm stopped her.

She moaned and Logan appeared at her side.

"Hey. You finally woke up," he said, gently sitting on the bed beside her.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice husky. He helped her to sit up and adjusted the pillows behind her for support. Feeling a wave of dizziness, Ororo closed her eyes until it passed.

"You got hurt when you were flying me and Sabretooth away from the Roadhouse. You saved a lot of people that day," he said, taking her free hand as she opened her eyes.

"What happened to Sabretooth?"

"I called Cyke and Red. They got him and took him to secure facility for safekeeping."

"That's good news," she said, suddenly aware of the heaviness in her arm. Looking down, she saw that it was enclosed in a cast, "What's wrong with me?"

"A broken arm and a slight concussion," he replied, handing her what she figured was pain meds and a small cup of water.

Taking the pills, she gave him the cup. Glancing down at her cast again, she saw get well messages from Scott and Jean. She also noticed messages with signatures she didn't recognize.

Logan explained, "Steel, Loco, Skip, and Jack stopped by to see you and to tell you thank you for saving them. They wanted to leave the messages on your cast."

She smiled as she read them. Looking up at Logan, she asked, "I'm not sure I want to hear the answer to this question but how long have I been out?"

"Just a couple days. You took a hard hit but besides your concussion and arm, you're in pretty good shape."

"Good," she said, wincing as she adjusted to find a comfortable spot, "You're lucky I'm in love with you, else I will be running out of here, afraid of getting hurt again."

"What did you say?" he asked, not believing his ears.

"I said I'm in love with you. That's what I came here to tell you."

"Ro, you sure it's not the meds talking?"

"It's not the meds, Logan," she replied, taking his hand in hers and looking him deep in his eyes, "I wanted to tell you before you left the mansion but you were too fast for me. So the next…" she started by her she was silenced by Logan's kiss. Getting over her shock, Ororo returned the kiss, cradling his face with her free hand. When they came up for air, he touched his forehead to hers and said the words she had longed to hear, "I love you too."

Well, it goes without saying that things for Logan and Ororo changed pretty quickly. A few days after they professed their love to each other, Logan asked her to move into the lake house with him and she said yes. She spent a lot of time at the Roadhouse, helping out wherever she was needed and getting to know the people. The staff fell in love with her as did Skip and Jack. All were very protective of her, especially Loco and Steel, who considered themselves her official bodyguards.

At the appointed time, Logan and Ororo flew to Wakanda to attend the week long wedding and celebration for T'Challa and his bride, Aminah. T'Challa invited them to stay at the castle and soon after their arrival, T'Challa demanded an explanation about Ororo's arm. Drama ensued. Logan, not appreciating the insinuation from the King, nearly came to blows with him. Ororo stepped between the men as they squared off and defused the situation. The rest of the visit, though strained, was uneventful and at times, very enjoyable.

Returning to the states, Logan proposed, getting down on one knee one morning as the sun rose over the lake. The 3 karat blue diamond set in platinum, complimented her eyes perfectly. They got married in an intimate ceremony at the lake house, inviting all of their friends, including the entire staff from the Roadhouse. Hank officiated and they were honored with the presence of United States President Charles Xavier, who said he wouldn't miss it for the world.

Logan and his partners, enjoying the success of their restaurant, decided to branch out to offer a family friendly alternative to the Roadhouse. On the one year anniversary of the Roadhouse, they opened their new spot, the Stormy Travels Dining Experience. Shortening the name to Stormy Travels , they wanted to pay tribute to the lady who saved their butts that fateful day.

The new restaurant became a favorite eatery for the locales who came often to enjoy the different dining experiences. Unlike its companion restaurant, the menu at Stormy Travels changed daily to match the day's theme. Six months after opening, Stormy Travels was listed as one of the top ten stops for visitors and got rave reviews from food critics. It was even featured on the Food Channel and Food Network. Soon, its revenue rivaled and surpassed that of the Roadhouse.

The couple settled into their new life. Logan, hating to be away from Ororo for too long, worked with Skip and Jack to create a work schedule where they continued having their daily meetings and required that they would work a minimum of 3 nights a week. This new schedule freed them up to explore other business options and have the ability to spend quality time with family.

Logan and Ororo made the most of their time together, enjoying the freedom of living life. They still responded to requests for assistance on Team missions as needed but for the most part, they enjoyed getting to know and growing with each other as husband and wife. They even vacationed with T'Challa and his queen, Aminah, in Paris, France.

A year later, Logan surprised his wife in bed with a gift to celebrate their first wedding anniversary. Ororo asked him to take her shopping at the local mall instead of a dinner that evening, saying she had it covered. He went along with her plan and they arrived home at sunset. After putting away their new things, she convinced him to take a walk on the beach. Logan, not sure why she wanted to do the same thing they did every morning, didn't question it and did what she wanted. When they rounded the bend, they came to the area where Ororo, with the help of the Roadhouse staffers, had created a special dinner setting, complete with a waiter, Daniels clad in a tuxedo.

Shaking his head and chuckling, Logan joined his wife at the table where they dined by candlelight on some of his best creations. After the setting was removed and they were alone again, the couple stood at the lake shore, watching as the sun completed its retreated into the horizon to make way for the night. In her hand, Ororo held a small gift bag. Turning to him and encouraging him to face her, she handed him the bag and motioned for him to open it. Opening the gift, he waded through the tissue paper and pulled out a pair of baby booties.

"Ro?" he asked, not sure what to think.

"If everything goes like it should, in about eight months, you will be a father," she said, placing his hand on her abdomen.

Shocked into silence, Logan glanced down at the baby booties I his hand, then at Ro's stomach where his other hand had begun to rub gently. When he looked up into her face, tears fell as she smiled, wiping away the tear that fell from his eye. Overwhelmed with emotion, he took her in his arms and simply said, "Thank you."


End file.
